Amaya of Wolves
by Kyra Odayashi
Summary: I suck at summaries. OCxKoga/Kouga However you want to spell it , that's all you need to know
1. First Impression

**This is the first chapter of the first fanfiction I EVER wrote...I'll leave it up to you guys as you read on whether I should finish it/continue it...**_**IT'S UP TO YOU!**_

"You guys, hurry up!" Kagome called to the people behind her as she reached the top of the hill. Her mid-back black hair swayed in the small breeze. Her brown eyes sparkled as she gazed upon a small village nestled in the meadow. Ten to twelve small houses lay there, surrounded by fields of flowers and rice. A path led from the village up to the hill passing through the fields of rice. Kagome shivered as she stared into the trees beyond the village; the darkness looked strange and uninviting.

"Why are you so happy?" Inuyasha grumbled as he reached the top. Kagome ignored the pointless question; he had been in a bad mood since he had had to carry her bike the whole day. Sango shortly appeared after him along with Miroku. Sango was wearing her kimono and was carrying Hiratsu (Her Giant Boomerang) across her back while Shippo and Kirara rode on her shoulders. Miroku looked like he was tiring; he was leaning a little bit, using his staff as a walking stick.

" This looks like a pleasant place," Miroku said looking toward the village.

" Don't even think of saying anything to the village women!" Sango snapped at him. Miroku sighed.

Kagome continued staring out at the village, ignoring the others. She spotted children running home to their mothers call, and men and women carrying baskets of rice back to their homes. She heard a rustle and the snapping of twigs in the bushes to her left and she snapped to attention. Inuyasha quickly dropped Kagome's bike and grabbed the sword at his waist, his hand gripping it tightly.

The rustling grew louder as whatever it was came closer. Finally, out of the forest stumbled, a young woman. She brushed dirt and leaves off of her ivy green kimono then, she looked up and smiled at them. Her eyes were a deep brown and her black, mid-back length hair was tied in a low ponytail and hung over her left shoulder to keep it out of the basket on her back. Kagome looked over the woman's shoulder into the basket. It was full of plants that Kagome didn't recognize.

The young woman broke the silence, "Welcome travelers, to Tamashi Village. My name is Yuriko."

" Hello, nice to meet you." Kagome politely stated. Kagome noticed how sad the woman's eyes appeared, as if she had lost some one very dear to her. Maybe, Kagome thought, she lost her husband or her family to demons. " Oh, I'm Kagome" she said, "and these are my friends Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and Inuyasha" and she pointed to each of them as she said their names.

Miroku took a step toward Yuriko. "It's a pleasure to meet such a beautiful woman as yourself," he said, "I ask of only one thing, will you bear my child?" Sango quickly punched him in the head, leaving a fairly big bump. Yuriko thanked her.

" Are you staying anywhere tonight?" she asked. Kagome shook her head.

" No," she sighed._ I wonder if we'll have to sleep outside again,_ she thought.

" Well," Yuriko said, "your welcome to stay at my home. The woods around here aren't very safe."

"Why?" Sango asked, "What's in there?" Yuriko shook her head.

"I'll tell you later," she said, "after we get to the village." Kagome looked worried.

"You don't have to let us stay," she said, " We wouldn't want to trouble y-"

" Its no trouble," Yuriko interrupted, "I've let a lot of travelers stay at my home before. Now lets get down to the village before the darkness falls." She started to walk down the hill. The others had no choice but to follow her. Inuyasha paused and picked up Kagome's bike.

No one said anything on the way to the village. Yuriko seemed to have something on her mind. As they reached the village, a little girl came running toward Yuriko.

"Yuri, Yuri!" the little girl said as she hugged Yuriko.

"Hello Kita." Yuriko said, "How's your cold? You shouldn't be out here, it's chilly."

" I know," Kita said, " I wanted to thank you for taking care of me. You'll always be here, right?"

" Yes," Yuriko answered, though she looked sad, " I'll always take care of you, Kita." She placed her hand on Kita's head. "Now, you better get inside. You don't want to get sick again, do you?" She smiled as the child looked up at her through her black bangs.

"Okay," Kita answered. She turned around and ran to a small house. "Bye!" she called. Her mother came to the door. She took Kita's hand and led her inside. Yuriko smiled after them. She looked happy, but she seemed very sad.

"Well," Yuriko said, "we better continue on." They started walking toward the back of the village.

" You seem very fond of children," Miroku said, " Kita seems to like you a lot."

" Yes," Yuriko said, "I had a little sister. Kita always reminds of her. She was, so cute and so sweet." Her eyes looked even sadder.

"What happened to her?" Kagome asked, though she could guess pretty easily.

"She died," Yuriko answered, "My-my sister and my parents, they were killed by demons three years ago. They went for a walk, but I was in bed with a fever. They never came back. People went to search for them, and they were found dead. They were buried in a small clearing in the woods, not far from here. After I got better I went to see them, then I realized I was on my own. I've been taking care of myself since then."

" I'm sorry for asking," Kagome apologized, "I didn't know."

" It's okay" Yuriko said, "You're the first one to ask." They arrived at a fair sized house; it was bigger than the others. Yuriko paused outside the door. "Well," she said, "we're here." She smiled at then and walked inside. Everyone hesitated. " You aren't going to sleep out there, are you?" Yuriko called.

" No way," Kagome giggled. She walked though the door and into the house. Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Miroku followed after her. Inuyasha paused to lean Kagome's bike against the side, and then he followed them into the house.

The evening pasted pleasantly along. Dinner was served and they talked about weather, farming, and other things. In the middle of dinner the topic changed again, this time to the woods.

"You said something about the woods earlier," Sango asked, " are there a lot of demons in there?"

"Yes, mostly snakes," Yuriko replied. The basket she had been carrying earlier was next to her, some of the plants spilling out. In front of her was a slab of smooth rock and a smooth stone that was bigger than her hand. She reached into the basket and brought out a pale cream flower with a thorny stem and jagged leaves. She set it on the slab and started mashing it into a whitish-green paste.

" What's that?' Shippo asked as he took a bite out of a dumpling.

" It's a herb that slows the pace of poison spreading though the body," she replied as she scraped the paste into a small pouch, "but it can't stop the poison for good."

" So your village is having trouble with the demons?" Sango asked.

" Yes we are," Yuriko sighed, " and it seems like this village is dying, withering away. Livestock disappears by the day, people are sick, and we have to ration the little amount of food and clean water we have." She wiped the rock slab clean and placed another flower on it.

" Well, we could get rid of the demons for you," Kagome said, " It's the least we could do for letting us stay here tonight."

" Thank you for the offer," Yuriko stated, "but-"

" I am a demon slayer," Sango interrupted, "it's my job to exterminate any pesky demons."

Yuriko smiled, "Thank you." She looked at everyone and stood up. "Well, since everyone's done eating, let's get to bed."

It took a few minutes to put up a set of screens in the middle of the room. Kagome, Shippo, Sango, Kirara, and Yuriko slept on the left side, while Miroku and Inuyasha slept on the right. It didn't take long for them to fall fast asleep.


	2. The dream

_Three small girls stood on the edge of a beach side cliff, giggling and laughing. The smallest had hair as white as snow and a face as pale as the clouds. The other two looked like they were the same age. The first had black cat ears that twitched at every little sound and short black hair. The other had long navy hair with tiny silver streaks that sparkled in the morning sun. She also had pale, sapphire blue eyes. _

"I have something for both of you," she giggled as she reached into the pouch at her waist.

" Really? Thanks –May- (pronounced as my )" the cat girl said.

_-May- pulled three small necklaces out of her pouch. Each one had a blue crystal and a white ribbon. She handed the first to the smallest child.  
" This one's for you Yuki." she said. _

"It looks like there's snow in it." Yuki said in a small voice as she gazed into the blue crystal. It was shaped like a mountain, and the very top looked like a snowy peek. " Thank you -May-," she said as she gave -May- a hug, " It's so pretty". Next -May- turned to the cat girl. " This one's for you Neko," she said as she handed the girl a necklace. Neko looked at hers and gasped. It was in the shape of a tear with a fang in the middle.

" That's the fang I lost a month ago." Neko exclaimed as she gently took the necklace -May- held out to her.

" _I have one, too!" -May- said, holding out the last necklace. It was also in the shape of a teardrop, but the edges were a little rougher, and in the middle was a different type of fang. " Father gave me one of his fangs." she said, "We're all different, but we're are all sisters. The white ribbon will always connect us." **Flash**… _

-May- stands alone in the peaceful woods, her fur pelt a little ruffled. She gazes ahead, wondering where her sisters may have hidden. A scream pierces her thoughts.

"Yuki!" –May- screams, "Neko!" But no one answers to her calls. She starts to run toward the scream that still echoed in her ear. She was running toward the cliff, and her home. She heard nothing but the echo in her ear. A sickening stench filled the air, choking her with more worry. Finally, she came upon the same cliff that her and her sisters had been standing at earlier, but instead of stopping, she jumped off the edge to a ledge a few feet below. She continued downward, jumping from ledge to ledge until she landed on the soft, sandy beach in front of a huge cave. She turned around expecting the cave to be full of people, but what she saw frightened her.

A massacre lay before her. Men and women lay in pools of their own blood dead from their fatal wounds. A great fire rose in the middle of the cave and the smell of burning flesh that came from it sickened her. Tears sprang from her eyes as she called into the silence.

" Mother? Father?" she called, her voice shaking with every word, "N-Neko? Y-Y-Yuki?" She felt very cold even she wore fur. She took a step forward calling their names and waiting for a reply. As she looked past the bonfire, she spotted a small silver shimmer. She ran towards it, tripping once over a dead mans body, falling in a pool of blood. She ignored it, standing up and running towards the shimmer until she fell to she knees beside a young woman. The woman's silver hair was soaked in her own blood still dripping from her the hole in her chest. She beautiful sapphire eyes were glazed over and as lifeless as stone. She didn't move as -May- shook her.

"Mother," -May- muttered, "Mother, please wake up. Please make it all go away." When her mother didn't respond she shook her harder and spoke louder, "Mother, get up. Get up!" Finally, she stopped, tears now pouring from her eyes. She threw herself on top of her mother, crying and calling her name, " Mother! Mother, don't go! Mother!" Finally, she stopped yelling but the tears still ran down her face. She looked away, not wanting to see her mothers beautiful eyes stare beyond, never to look at her again. She closed her mother's eyes and stood up, her fur pelt and leggings soaked in blood. She looked beyond her mother to see another dead body. She slowly walked toward it and sank to her knees next to a man. What she saw scared her.

His black ponytail was soaked in blood and his clear blue eyes were also glazed over. His cheek was torn wide open, and a sword protruded from his stomach. All over his body were cuts and slashes that looked as if a whip had continuously struck him.

" _Father," she whispered, "Father…" she let the tears roll down her face. As she put her hands on the bloody ground she felt something cold beneath her fingers. She picked up a small necklace in the shape of a mountain. "No!" she cried, "Yuki! Yuki!" She sat there and cried, holding the necklace close to her. As she sat there, a shadow fell over her. Laughter filled her head and frightened her. _

"So," said a mans voice, "I finally get to meet Yuriko's daughter." He leaned closer to whisper in her ear and his red hair fell onto her shoulder. "I will make you suffer far worse than your parents, Amaya."

Yuriko woke with a start. Her body was drenched in cold sweat and wouldn't stop shaking.

" Yuriko," Kagome muttered, still half asleep. Yuriko's sudden movement had woken her, " Is something wrong?"

" No," Yuriko replied, " Just a dream about my sister. Go back to sleep."

" Ok, Night," Kagome said, lying back down. It only took her a second to fall asleep again. Yuriko smiled and waited until she knew Kagome was fast asleep. When she knew Kagome was asleep, she stood up and walked silently towards the far wall. She changed into her kimono and took a small bundle out of the bottom of her basket, then she silently walked to the door and left.

Once outside she walked toward the back of the house, then she quickly entered the woods. As she hurried along she pulled a long black shawl out of the bundle and covered her head. Even then it still fell down to her thigh. She held it tight around her and hurried on, blending into the shadows. Even in the silence she could not be heard, and she moved as quick as a bird in flight.

She continued on, hidden in the shadows of the trees. Finally she reached her destination. She stood at the edge of a small clearing, looking into a small pond full of water lilies. She walked over to the edge of the pond and sat on a fallen tree trunk that protruded into the water. She sat there, running her hands through the cold water, thinking of what she had seen: the blood, the death, and the tears of her dream. How much it hurt her to see that. She sat there and thought of all these things, wishing she wouldn't dream it again. She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, but it had only been a few minutes. Then, she sat up strait and called into the darkness.

" I know your there," she said, she looked over her shoulder and into the darkness, "You've been following me all the way here, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha stepped into the moonlight. " Feh," he said starring at her. His hand still rested on the handle of his sword. " What are you doing here? Preying on the humans, demon?"

" Humph. I don't prey on humans." She said, " I live here and I protect them from harm. Just like you seem to protect your friends."

" Who are you?" Inuyasha snapped. His knuckles turned white due to the amount of pressure he was putting on his sword. " You don't smell like a normal demon."

" I'm not a pure demon, just like you." She answered. As she spoke, she seemed to melt away. Her black hair grew longer and turned to a dark navy. Her eyes turned from brown to a clear sapphire, and her eyelashes darkened. Her skin went from pale peach to a soft tan and she lightly shook her head. Her hair sparkled in the moonlight due to tiny silver streaks. The only thing that didn't change was the sad look in her eyes. " I'm Amaya from the wolf tribe by the sea. My mother was a goddess." Inuyasha stared in amazement at her new appearance.

" How do I know that you aren't the one killing the humans?" Inuyasha snapped, " Why should I trust you?"

"Because," she said, "I trust you." Inuyasha was surprised by this respond. " I don't expect you to trust me," She continued, " After all, I am a stranger and a demon. But I hope you will at least trust me a little. And I hope you won't drive me away."

Inuyasha stood there, he wasn't sure what to do. Should I drive her away from the village? He thought, or should I trust her? He stood trying to make up his mind when the bushes behind him shook and rattled.

"Kita!" Amaya cried looking past him. She quickly stood up.

Inuyasha turned around and saw Kita standing right there, her eyes wide open with shock. She turned around and ran, stumbling over tree roots and pushing through bushes. She had seen it all. She had seen the one person she thought she knew the most turn into something totally different.

"Kita…" Amaya muttered, she hid her face in her hands, " I so sorry Kita." She lowered her hands slightly so her eyes showed, " I have to leave here now. She knows, and she'll tell them. There's nothing I can do for them anymore." She said as she turned around and stood tall, her navy hair reaching to her knees. " I hope you your friends have a safe journey." She said to Inuyasha as she started walking, " I'll move on to the next village-"

Suddenly, a scream interrupted her words. She spun around, her eyes filled with worry.

"Kita!" she yelled. She took off running in the direction of the scream. She left Inuyasha standing there alone. _I have to protect her_, she thought as she ran, _if anything happened to her, it would be like losing my sister again. I can't let that happen!_ As she ran her green kimono was torn apart, revealing a fur pelt and armor, her wolf clothing. She drew a small dagger from its sheath at her waist but she didn't pay attention as it changed into a sword about 6 feet long. Finally she reached a huge clearing, and knew what she was facing.

Before her stood a giant snake as tall as the trees. Its brown body curled around the clearing, and Kita sat in the middle. The snake pulled its neck back, ready to strike. Amaya jumped into the air and unleashed a hoard of blue spikes at the demons head. It let out a deafening cry as six of the spikes hit it's scull and dissolved into water. She landed in front of Kita, glaring at the snake with a deep hatred. The snakes shining red eyes glared back at her, hungry for blood.

" Kita, get out of here!" She yelled to the child, "Now! Run!" The snake lunged toward Kita; it's poisonous fangs ready to kill her. Kita closed her eyes and ducked, waiting for her to feel its fangs bite into her. When she felt nothing she opened her eyes and looked up. Standing right in front of her was Amaya, the snake injecting its deadly poison into her shoulder.

_Why?_ Kita thought, _why did she protect me? _She stared at Amaya and noticed that she was smiling.

" Heh," Amaya laughed, staring into the snakes' eyes, "Do you think I'll die that easily, you stupid snake." She took the sword in her hand and thrusted it up into the snakes head. It let out a terrifying shriek. "I'll never let you hurt her again!" She yelled as she thrusted the sword all the way, killing it. As it fell onto the ground, Amaya's sword changed back into a dagger and she put it in its sheath. She turned around to see Kita lying there, as white as the moon.

" Kita!" Amaya exclaimed, running to the little girl, " Your fever's back. I have to get you to the village." She picked the young girl up, holding her gently. She walked through the woods, heading back towards the village. She walked quickly, jumping over bushes and thickets. She slowed down as she reached the edge of the woods. She stared down into the village and saw men and women calling for Kita. Finally, someone spotted Amaya walking towards the village.

" Hey!" he yelled, " There's a demon coming this way. It's carrying something!" As Amaya came closer he saw who she had in her arms and yelled toward them again, " It has Kita!" Everyone ran towards him, weapons in hand.

Amaya approached them, and handed Kita to her mother; She took a step back after. Kita's mother looked at her daughter and saw bloodstains on her, but her kimono wasn't ripped or torn in those places. She looked at Amaya and saw blood dripping from her shoulder. When she looked down she saw a puddle of blood beneath Amaya's feet. She looked up into Amaya's eyes and gasped.

" Miss Yuriko!" she cried. Amaya smiled.

" Yes," she said nodding her head. Then she collapsed, and all went black.


	3. I'm Sorry

Amaya awoke, lying in a soft bed. She reached toward her shoulder to find the wound bandaged. She opened her eyes and quickly sat up, causing pain in her shoulder. She was back at her home in the village.

" Don't move," A voice said. Amaya turned her head to see Kagome next to her. " Lay back down," she said, pushing Amaya back down, "your wound still hasn't healed." She reached into a bowl next to her and withdrew a wet rag. She wrung it out and placed it on Amaya's forehead.

" How long have I been out?" Amaya asked, " and why aren't I dead?"

" Sango had some antidote," Kagome answered, " You've been asleep for three days. You looked like you were in pain." She looked at Amaya. "Inuyasha told us what happened. Why didn't you tell us you were a demon?" She asked.

" Because I was afraid you would hate me," Amaya said, turning away from Kagome, " People would hate and distrust me if they knew that I'm a demon. It's like that at every village…" Kagome stared at her. She knew that people hated demons, but why would someone hate her after all she's done for them?

" When you were asleep," Kagome started, " it looked you were having a nightmare. You keep moaning and saying someone's name."

" Kagome," Amaya said, "I'm have to talk to you and your friends. Please go get them," She turned toward Kagome, staring at her with sad eyes. Kagome nodded and left the room.

A few minutes later she returned with everyone. Amaya was sitting up in bed, the blanket slipping off her shoulder. They all sat down and she began.

" As you all know," she said, " I'm a wolf demon, but I'm also part water goddess. My father had a seaside wolf tribe a few miles down the shore from a human village. In the village lived a water goddess who protected the village from storms and demons. One day she was battling a demon when she pushed it over a cliff and into the rock filled water below, but it grabbed her before it fell and pulled her down too. She landed in the water and received a serious wound to her stomach. The pain of the salt water in her wound caused her to pass out, and she floated miles away from the village, and then washed up on a beach. When she was lying there, someone found her."

" Your father," Miroku said. Amaya nodded.

" Yes," she continued, " My father took care of her, and when she woke up, she fell in love. She stayed there for two weeks, waiting for her wound to heal so she could go back to the village. When she finally went back, she discovered it had been destroyed by a storm. She had no place to go, so my father invited her to stay with the tribe until she found a new home. She helped them as much as she could in thanks for their hospitality, but when she left, my father became ill. He was out for a week, and when he woke up she was there. She never left them after that. She married my father, and two years later I was born. When I was six I found Neko and my parents took her in. She was the same age as me. Then a year after that, my parents found Yuki, my youngest sister. We all grew up together." Amaya's eyes grew sadder.

" Then one day we were playing a game," she continued, "I was looking for them when I heard a scream and I ran home. When I got there I found everyone dead. I saw my parents and cried. Then I met him. You see, my mother had a childhood friend who had loved her. When she married my father it made him mad. He said to me that before he killed my mother, he had told her that I would suffer worse than she did." Amaya clenched her fists.

" Amaya…" Kagome muttered; she didn't know what to do. Suddenly Amaya stood up, wincing from pain.

" I have to go talk to Kita," she said, limping towards the door, "I have to tell her I'm sorry for lying to her." She limped toward the door and left. Kagome stood up.

" I'm going to help her walk there," she said going towards the door, "she's still pretty weak." She left the room and went to help Amaya.

" We all know how she feels," Sango said. Inuyasha stood up and walked out the door.

" Amaya, wait!" Kagome called. Amaya stopped and turned her head as Kagome ran towards her.

"Yeah," She said as Kagome stopped next to her.

" Let me help you," Kagome panted, "You don't want to collapse again do you." Amaya smiled and for once she looked happy.

" Thanks," Amaya replied, "I could use some help." Kagome supported her as she limped to Kita's home, but the Kita's mother wouldn't let her see the child.

" What do you want demon?" the woman snapped. She blocked the doorway, making sure that Amaya couldn't enter.

" I need to talk to Kita," Amaya said as she tried to look past the woman, " Is she alright? Did you give her the medicine?" The woman glared at Amaya with distrust.

" How do I know it isn't poison?" the woman said, " and why should I trust a demon?"

" Because she's never tried to hurt Kita," a voice said. Amaya turned her head to see Inuyasha standing there. " She had the choice of letting your daughter die, but she risked her own life to bring Kita back safely," Inuyasha continued, "Amaya almost died trying to protect her, and this is how you treat her?" The woman looked surprised, then she took a deep breath and nodded.

" Your right," she said, " I'm sorry Miss Yuriko." She moved out of the doorway, allowing Amaya to pass through. Amaya looked towards the woman.

" My name is Amaya," she said, " Yuriko was my mothers name." Amaya limped past the woman and entered the house alone. She walked into a single room, Kita's bed in the middle. Amaya walked towards the far wall and she leaned against it, watching Kita take deep breaths. As she shifted her weight to her other foot the floor beneath her creaked and groaned, causing Kita to turn in her sleep.

" Kita," Amaya finally called, and Kita slowly opened her eyes.

" Mother?" she said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

" No Kita," Amaya replied, " it's me, Amaya." Kita quickly sat up, frightened by Amaya's presence.

" W-What do you want," Kita stuttered, slightly inching away from Amaya.

" I came here to apologize for lying to you," she replied, "I sorry. I'm leaving the village at sunset so I also came here to give you the rest of the medicine I made. I hope you get better soon." She started to walk towards the door.

" Why should Itake the medicine?" Kita snapped, "It's probably poison. I won't take it!" Amaya stopped a few feet from the door and looked down.

" Kita," she said, "When I first came to this village I promised myself, that like every other village, I wouldn't grow attached to anyone. I knew that I couldn't stay here for long so I made that promise to myself, but when I took care of you, you reminded me of my sister Yuki. I grew attached to you the more you were near me. I hunted by night for herbs to help you, and stayed near you at all times. Now that you know about me being a demon, I have to leave, so I want you to have the rest of the medicine and get better." She walked the remaining distance to the door, "Goodbye Kita." And she left, giving a small pouch of medicine to Kita's mother as she walked away.


	4. Goodbye Forever

Amaya stayed inside her house for the rest of the day, packing the few things her owned. In a small cloth sack she had a kimono, a blanket, her herbs and remedies, and a small amount of food and water. She placed her dagger in the sheath that hung from her waist and set a note on the small table in the corner. As sunset arrived she stepped outside and silently moved towards the edge of the village. Once she was at the edge of the forest, she looked back to see Kita running towards her. Kita stopped a few feet away panting from the long run.

" Amaya," She said, " I'm sorry. Please don't go." Her eyes filled with tears as she stared at Amaya.

" I can't live here Kita," Amaya replied, " It's time for me to stay where I belong. I can't hide in this village forever."

" But," Kita cried, " You said you'd always be there to take care of me!"

" I know Kita," Amaya said, " but I want you to be safe. If I stay you could get killed! I can't let that happen to you, it would be like losing my sister again. Don't worry Kita, I'll come and see you again." Kita ran to Amaya and threw her arms around her.

" Okay," she said, tears running down her eyes. She let go and stepped back, " Come back soon," she said. Then she smiled and ran back to the village.

" Goodbye _forever_, Kita," Amaya muttered, and she turned and entered the forest as a single tear fell down her face.

Amaya ran towards the mountains, stopping every once and a while to rest. The food she had packed quickly disappeared and she stopped once in a village to buy more. Finally she came to a wide river that split in two and she followed the left path. After a mile or so she came to a canyon waterfall and she stopped and smiled at it. It was a waterfall that poured down onto a small landing and then fell over the edge to create a second waterfall. In the middle of the landing was a huge pile of rocks that were dry and protected from the water.

" Home," she said, and she jumped up the left side of the canyon to a small ledge, about two feet wide, above the landing. She then jumped towards the rocks and landed on the one nearest to her. She jumped from rock to rock until she got to one near the front of the pile, and entered a small opening on the right side.

" I'm back," she exclaimed, " I hope you didn't get into any trouble!" Two wolves jumped on Amaya and started licking her face. She laughed and pushed them off. " I missed you too!" she laughed, " Now I have slobber on my face!" The wolves followed her to the back of the cave where she knelt next too a small pool and washed the drool off her face. She then set her sack and dagger in a small, hollowed out log and collapsed on a bed of straw. One wolf lie down next to her and put its head on her stomach. She placed her hand on its head and gently stroked its gray fur.

" Nyoko," she cooed, continuing to stroke its head. The gray wolf had been from her own pack, and Amaya had found her after the incident. She smiled and closed her eyes. A shadow fell over her face and she opened her eyes to see another wolf hovering over her. Its dark brown fur brushed her cheek as it nudged her head.

" Nami," Amaya whined, " I don't want to play, and I'm tired." The wolf barked and ran in circles, trying to get Amaya to chase it. Amaya smiled again; she had found Nami badly hurt a year ago and took care of her. After that Nami followed Amaya everywhere, running around and causing trouble. She turned on her side to see her last wolf lay down next to the wall, far away from the others. It's whole body blended into the black shadows, except for its cream colored paws. " Well aren't you being unsocial today," Amaya muttered, " _Satoshi must be in a bad mood_." Amaya lay on her back and looked at the ceiling, thinking of her small 'tribe', and then she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When Amaya awoke the sun was just peeking over the horizon, casting a small patch light on her face. She sat up and, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, looked around. Satoshi was sleeping in the far corner, bathed in shadow while Nami and Nyoko slept peacefully on either side of Amaya. She smiled and stood up, careful not to wake them. Silently she crept to the entrance of the cave and stepped outside into the rising sun, which warmed her body. She jumped to the top of the boulder, yawned, and stretched her body. The journey had been tiring and she had a few sore muscles. Satoshi stepped into the harsh sunlight and approached Amaya who looked a little more serious as she stared at the rising sun.

" I smell them, Satoshi," she said looking into the wolf's black eyes, "Wolf demons, and they're not that far away either. Hopefully they won't come here." She smiled down at him and stretched out on the rock, soaking up the suns warmth and light. After a minute a shadow fell over her and she sat up again as Nyoko dropped a piece of meat next to her. Amaya pushed the wolf demons out of her mind and ate with her wolves, thinking about what had happened over the last few days. She decided she would like to meet Inuyasha and the others again someday and thank them for all that they had done for her. The day passed without event and she settled down at sunset, tired after hunting, and fell asleep.

The next morning she woke up at sunrise and stretched, then grabbing her dagger, her and Satoshi left for a hunt. An hour later Amaya spotted her first target, and wild boar the size of her wolves. She stood still in the tree a few feet away and slowly reached for her dagger. When she took the dagger from its sheath, it transformed into a spear and she slowly moved into position. She hurled the spear and the boar squealed in pain as it pieced its skin. Satoshi quickly emerged from the bushes and tore at the boar's throat, and it collapsed and died before Amaya reached it.

" Good job, Satoshi" she said to the wolf as she examined the body, "Now lets get this home." She withdrew the spear, which turned back into a dagger, and cut the two hind legs off. Satoshi took them in his mouth while Amaya carried the body, and they started home with their kill.


	5. Trick to Swim

After dropping their kill off at the cave, Amaya grabbed her kimono and a robe and set out to a nearby hot spring. Satoshi followed along and they quickly approached a hidden hot spring not to far from the cave. Satoshi sat nearby while Amaya undressed, and kept watch for men and demons alike. After setting her clothing next to her green kimono, Amaya slipped into the hot spring and started bathing. She took a deep breath and dived down into the waters depths (it's a very deep hot spring). Then letting the water fill her lungs, she swam and danced in the water, as she had done many times in her childhood.

After her energy ran out she swam to the surface and breathed in the cold air of spring. She started to relax, when she suddenly heard Satoshi growl. Snapping to attention, she listened for the sound Satoshi had caught. Finally, she heard a mans voice call.

" Koga! Koga!" he called, and with each time it repeated itself, it drew closer. Amaya scrambled out of the pool of water and threw on her kimono, and then grabbing her cloths, she jumped into the nearest tree.

" Satoshi, go home!" she whispered, and Satoshi ran off in the direction of the cave, blending into the shadows as he went.

Amaya sat there waiting, her wet hair soaking the back of her kimono. Amaya waved her hand and the water disappeared, leaving Amaya bone dry. Then, parting the branches in front of her, she saw two wolf demons. One had a white Mohawk and the other had grayish hair with a black streak down the middle. They walked into the clearing and continued to call 'Koga'. Amaya quickly came up with a plan.

After a minute, Amaya started to put her plan into action. She changed her appearance to that of a human and slid to the ground. She set her clothes next to the tree trunk and stumbled towards them, purposely rattling the bushes to catch their attention.

" Oh!" she gasped as they stared at her. She drew back as she stared at them, looking as much as she could like a frightened human.

" We don't kill humans," they said in harmony staring at her.

" Oh," she said and walked past them towards the hot springs, " Since you don't kill humans, do you think you can do me a little favor? There have been lot lecherous men lately and I was hoping, maybe you could stand guard while I bath. You could sit on some of the rocks next to the hot spring and keep watch."

" Um, okay," said one of them, and they sat with their backs facing the pool. Amaya stepped onto a shallow, underwater ledge and moved behind them.

" No peeking!" she said in a playful voice as she watched their ears turn red. Then she suddenly grabbed the scuffs of their necks and flung them into the water. They yelled in surprise and hit the water headfirst flailing their arms. By the time they came to the surface, Amaya was already out of the water and back to her normal appearance. She laughed as they spat out water and swam to the edge of the pool.

" Who are you!" the one with the Mohawk yelled, grabbing onto the edge of the hot spring. Amaya finally stopped laughing and answered their question, knowing that they probably never meet again.

" My name is Amaya," she replied, smirking at them, " and you two are the worst wolf demons I have ever seen." Then turning towards the cave, she waved and ran off, laughing all the way home.

Amaya entered the cave still giggling her head off, when Satoshi approached her. She sighed; Satoshi always seemed to lecture her whenever she had done something wrong. He stared at her with cold, black eyes but she ignored it and didn't pay attention to him.

" Yeah, Yeah, I know," she irritably, " ' you could have gotten yourself caught and endangered us all!' Whatever…" She dropped into her hay bed and quickly told Nyoko and Nami about her scheme. Nami rolled on her back and beat her tail against the ground as Amaya finished explaining her adventure. Then Amaya collapsed into her bed, and as she scratched Nyoko behind the ear, she fell into a deep sleep. She dreamt of her wolves, her friends, and _him_.


	6. A Formal Introduction

Amaya kept quiet for a few days, hoping that the wolf demons would leave. Every morning she would sniff the air, checking for their scent, and sigh when she caught a whiff of them. Four days had gone by and she could still smell them, so she finally left the cave one evening for a quick run and hunt. It was not until a few minutes later when she noticed a different scent, and a familiar one at that. She ran towards it and stopped a few feet away from Kagome and the gang, who were sitting next to a small fire in a forest clearing.

" Hey!" she exclaimed, running towards the group. She was glad she had gotten her chance to see them again and thank them. Kagome turned and waved towards Amaya as she approached the group at an alarming speed.

" Amaya! How are you?" she asked as Amaya stopped next to her,

" We didn't expect to meet you here!"

" I didn't expect to find you so near to my cave," Amaya replied, and she sat down next to Kagome, " I live a little ways away from here, up on the canyon waterfall. Why are you all here?"

" Searching for the Shikon jewel shards again." Sango said, " How's your shoulder? Did it heal alright?"

" Yes," Amaya said, " I never thanked you for helping me though, so I had been hoping for a while that I would meet you again." Kagome suddenly turned her head and stared towards the east.

" I sense Shikon shards coming this way," she said.

" Great, it's him," Inuyasha growled, grabbing his sword. Amaya sniffed the air and caught onto the scent of a wolf demon. All of a sudden she felt a gust of wind behind her.

" Yo!" said a voice, and Amaya turned her head to see a young wolf demon a few feet away. He wore the same tan colored pelt as the last wolf demons she had come across, but he had his long, black hair put in a ponytail high on his head. He was arguing with Inuyasha when he spotted Amaya sitting next to Kagome.

" Who's that?" he said, staring at her wolf outfit. She ignored him and stared at the two figures running towards him. She recognized them as the wolf demons she had meet before and sighed. They ran up towards the man, stopped next to him and leaned over, exhausted from running.

" Koga, you run to fast," they said to him. After they recovered they spotted Amaya sitting there. " Hey it that girl who tricked us! She's the one we told you about, Koga!" they yelled, pointing in her direction. Amaya sighed, and stood up.

" So we meet again," she said mockingly. Kagome stared at Amaya and then the two wolves.

" You've met them before?" she asked, rather confused about what was going on.

" You could say that," Amaya replied, smirking at them.

" You tricked us!" they yelled.

" All I did was throw in the water, you do smell pretty bad," she stated, cocking her head a little. She was having fun annoying them.

" Who the hell are you!" Koga snapped, coming in between her and the wolves. She stared at him, annoyed that he had interrupted her fun. To her, he seemed to be very short tempered and arrogant. She sighed.

" Amaya," she said, staring into his eyes. Kagome stood up too and faced Koga.

" She's a friend of ours, Koga." She said, " We met her a few days ago."

" Whatever," He said. The sun set behind him and the first stars of the night appeared in the sky.

" Amaya, Koga, why don't you join us tonight?" Kagome asked. Amaya nodded and she joined them, Koga's friends often throwing her annoyed looks. When everyone was finding a place to sleep, Amaya jumped into the nearest tree and settled down for the night. Koga and his friends slept under the trees across from her, and Inuyasha and the gang settled around the campfire. Amaya let one of her feet dangle over the edge of the branch and stared up at the starry sky. After everyone had fallen asleep, she drifted off into a deep slumber.


	7. Rain and Storm

" _Amaya" a voice whispers in the darkness.  
_

" _Who's there!" cries a child, her clear, sapphire eyes filled with fear, " What do you want!"  
_

" _Amaya, I will make you suffer…" _

" Leave me alone!" she yells, " Go away!"

" _No Amaya, I will never leave… You will suffer…" _

" Why do you do this to me!" She screams into the darkness, " Why me!"

" Because, you are her daughter…"

" Leave…" she mutters as she covers her ears, " Go away…die…"

" I will always be there… I will never die… You **Will** Suffer…"

" Go Away!"

" I will make you suffer…" a hand reaches though the darkness towards the child, "Amaya…Everyone you know and hold close **will die**…"

"No!" Amaya cried, jolting awake. She put her shaking hand on her forehead and tried to calm herself. She was covered in cold sweat, and her breathing was shallow. Finally the fear past, leaving Amaya shaken and restless. She looked towards Kagome's group to see them resting peacefully around the now dieing fire.

_I can't stay here_, she thought, as she stood up on the branch, _I couldn't let these people get killed._ She jumped off the branch and landed next to Kagome as silently as a mouse. She took one of the pouches at her waist and laid it next to Kagome's head. _"May my herbs protect you from harm," _she whispered, and she ran towards the river.

As swift as the wind, Amaya fled from the camp. Tears blinded her, causing her to trip and stumble, but the pain didn't matter. Dark rain clouds gathered in the night sky.

_I have to get as far away as I can_, she thought,_ I've got to stay away from them!_ She finally came to the river and ran towards home. She reached the canyon and jumped to the ledge.

Suddenly, just as she was about to jump to the other side, an agonizing pain emitted in her back. Blinded and thoughtless because of the pain, she toppled off the edge and fell towards the sharp bottom. Unable to move, she was helpless to land.

Just as she was about to hit the rocks below, a figure caught her and landed safely on the ground. Her movement came back to her and she looked up to see Koga set her down on the ground.

" _Why_…" she whispered meekly, then she closed her eyes and fell unconscious.

The rain beating against her small cave woke Amaya from her deep slumber. She slowly sat up and opened her eyes, reaching over her left shoulder to rub her back. . She was home, lying safely in her bed of hay with her kimono covering her like a blanket and a small fire casting a glow around the cave. She felt a small movement, and looked down to see Nyoko and Nami, who next to her, turn their heads. Nyoko licked Amaya's hand and whimpered.

" It's okay Nyoko, I'm fine," Amaya said, placing her hands on their heads and scratching them behind the ears. The crash of thunder from outside made Nami cringe and draw closer to Amaya. A flash of lightning shown through the entrance causing both Nami and Nyoko to whimper and cower next to her. Amaya drew both of them close to her, " Shh, It's alright. The storm will pass by soon," She whispered to them, stroking their fur, " After the storm is over I'll take you out for a run…" Her wolves relaxed and lay back down to rest.

" You seem to care about you're wolves a lot." Another flash of lightning illuminated the cave entrance again, outlining Koga, who walked in though the opening. Amaya looked up at him, then back down at her wolves.

" Yes," she said, " I couldn't stand to lose them. Where's Satoshi?" Koga nodded to the corner. Amaya could barely make out the shaped of the shadow-colored wolf, which lay there watching her. She hadn't even noticed him lying there in plain sight.

" Anyway, you're such an idiot, falling over the edge like that." Koga stated as he sat down and leaned against the wall, " You're lucky that I caught you." Amaya pouted as she watched Koga eat a little bit of meat and put more wood on the fire.

" Well I didn't need your help," she said in a rather agitated voice, " I could have saved myself!" she crossed her arms and turned her head away from him.

" Really? Well where I was standing you were about to fall in the river and drown." Koga said as the wind beat harder against the rocks, " You couldn't have survived that, the currents would have been to strong." He smirked at her and propped his elbow on his leg. Amaya's face grew very hot.

" Well to let you know, I can breath in water!" Amaya said hotly, " I didn't need you help, so why were you following me?"

" Because I saw you leave, so I grew suspicious." Koga stated, " I better leave so Kagome doesn't worry…" He stood up and walked to the door, and then he glanced back at her. Her face grew warm as she looked into his eyes before he turned and walked away, but she dismissed the feeling a second later.

" That asshole! I would have been fine on my own…" Amaya muttered and walked to the dead boar to get something to eat. As she was about to take a bite out of a chunk of meat, her ears picked up the sound of something slipping on the rocks outside. Dropping the meat in her hand she ran outside to see Koga slip into the water's swift current.

"Dammit!"


	8. Seven Moons and Unwanted Returns

Koga awoke, lying in a bed of hay, the morning sunrise peaking though the cave entrance. Nyoko and Nami were lying next to him, both fast asleep. He sat up, making sure not to disturb them, and looked for Amaya. She was not anywhere in the cave, but it didn't take him long to see Ginta and Hakkaku leaning against the wall, sleeping. He heard scratching on the stone outside and slowly stood up and walked toward the sunlight. As he neared the entrance, he heard voices whispering.

" It still hurts…" Koga stuck his head partly out of the cave, seeing Amaya and Satoshi sitting on a rock within site of the entrance.

_You know that using your water techniques spread it._ Satoshi spoke in a soft growl.

" I know, but it's never hurt this much Satoshi…" Amaya said rubbing her back.

_That's because it's getting worse. Why did you bother helping him? _

" You very well know that I can't leave anyone who needs help."

_Well then, why didn't you just use you weapons instead of your techniques?_

" I wasn't thinking…"

_Using such a strong technique is dangerous. It's probably spread even further. _

" I wonder how much time I have left…" Amaya said, looking towards the sunrise.

_It's hard to tell. At most, about seven full moons. _A clouded look crossed Amaya's face

" Only seven months… I don't have much time left."

_Why don't you hunt for an herb to delay it? _

" It's impossible to try… he made it, and there's no stopping it." Amaya's fists clenched, "The least I can do is kill him before it takes me." Koga slipped back inside and lay down on the hay again. Thinking about what he had over heard, he soon fell back asleep.

Koga left just before dusk, Hakkaku and Ginta follow left soon after carrying the herbs and food that Amaya gave them.

It had been almost a month since Koga had left when the incident occurred.

Amaya was just outside her cave, soaking up the morning rays with her wolves Nami and Nyoko. She hadn't been feeling well, and the warmth was comforting and nice.

" Hey, Satoshi, why don't you-" she stopped and sat up, sniffing the air. Her eyes grew wide and she jumped to her feet. " Satoshi, look after Nyoko and Nami!" Leaving only a small cloud of dust behind, she ran away from the mountains, away from her home and her wolves. It was a matter of minutes before she reached a small village nestled in a small meadow. It would have brought a smile to her face, if not for the fact it was burning.

Screams filled the air of the morning as people were burned in their homes. Burning flesh made Amaya draw back a cover her nose from the horrible stench that floated from the houses. Amaya ran towards the cries of pain, towards the sickening stench… and towards Kita.

" Kita!" Amaya cried, entering the burning village, " Kita, where are you!" She ran from house to house, searching for Kita and survivors. Footsteps came from behind her.

" Yuri…" came Kita's voice. Amaya spun around, tears of relief filling her eyes. Those tears where to only to be turned to tears of sorrow.

Kita stood there, drenched in blood from cuts all over her body. She had been struck with a whip hundreds of times, over and over again. As she stood there, tears leaked out of her eyes and the shadow of a man loomed over her. Amaya heard a thud, and Kita's eyes grew wide. She collapsed on the ground, a dagger protruding out of her back. Amaya was frozen in place, horrified by what she saw. A soft laughter came from the man.

"You!" Amaya spat. She stood up, reaching for the dagger at her waist. He continued to laugh.

" It's been awhile, Amaya."

…


	9. Amaya's Friend

Koga stopped and looked back. He had a strange feeling in his stomach, something that he couldn't dismiss. He looked over his shoulder and stood there while Hakkaku and Ginta caught up to him.

" Koga, is something wrong?" Ginta asked.

" I have a strange feeling," Koga said, looking past them.

" That can't be good…" Hakkaku muttered. A twig cracked behind them and they spun around, only to see a woman standing there. Her long blond hair fell into her deep green eyes. She was sweating and covered in dirt stains from what looked like a long walk. Supported on her shoulder, was Amaya, bloody and half dead.

" Please, help." said the woman, struggling to keep Amaya from falling. Ginta quickly took hold of Amaya's other arm.

" What happened?" Hakkaku asked, taking Amaya's arm from the woman.

" There's no time to explain," she said, " we have to get Amaya to my place." Before their eyes, she shrank to the size of a mouse and grew transluctant wings. " Follow me."

They followed her, struggling to keep up with her fast pace. She stopped just outside a glade of vines and willow trees. She parted a tassel of vines and stepped back, allowing them to pass though. Inside was a small clearing, protected from rain by the trees around them. She follow behind them, letting the vines fall back in place and brushed off a bed of vines in the corner.

" Put her here." She said, motioning to the bed as she covered it with a cloth. Hakkaku and Ginta set Amaya gently on the bed and moved away. The girl put her hand on Amaya's head then drew back in surprise.

" Damn! It's gotten worse!" She ran to a hollow tree and removed a piece of bark from it. " You two," she said to Ginta and Hakkaku, " There's a spring outside, fill that jug with water." She motioned to a large wooden jar next to the entrance. They quickly left as she crushed the bark in a small bowl. Amaya's breathing became jagged and shallow, her skin turned very pale and cold, and her body became rigid.

" Who are you?" Koga asked, watching her crush the wood into a fine powder with ease.

" I should be asking you that, since you carry items that has Amaya's scent on it." She replied as she added flowers of different types to the mix, all of which were rapidly growing at her feet. " I'm Kohana the earth fairy. I'm a close friend of Amaya's…" Hakkaku and Ginta returned, lugging the jug behind. She beckoned them to bring it to her, and they dragged it to her. Amaya groaned in pain.

Kohana dipped a cup into the water and slowly poured it into the mixture of flowers. She stirred it five times and muttered something under her breath as she held her hand over the gooey mixture. It emitted a deep red light and quickly disappeared, leaving a red and black flower. Ginta and Hakkaku glanced at each other their eyes wide open.

Kohana took the flower gently with hand, and with the other, she slowly opened Amaya's mouth. Amaya's breath continued to become shallower, and her skin was nearly as pale as the moon. Kohana took the flower and crushed it over Amaya's mouth, letting the yellow ooze drip down her throat.

Amaya's breathing slowly became deep and clear, and the color quickly returned to her face as her body relaxed. Kohana sighed in relief, and covered Amaya in a blanket. She waved her hand and a veil of vines surrounded the area where Amaya lay. Kohana sighed again and sat down on a small bed of flowers before turning towards Koga and his friends.

" So," She said, tilting her head a little, " who are you?" She seemed as though she was confused.

" It doesn't matter," Koga said, " Ginta, Hakkaku, we're leaving." He turned towards the entrance.

" But Koga-" Ginta tried to say.

" It's none of our business!" Koga snapped, turning his head slightly. Kohana stood up, staring at Koga with narrow eyes.

" Come with me," she said to Koga, " there's something I need to talk to you about." She strode past him, parting the vines for him to walk through. Koga walked out, Kohana close behind, dropping the vines in Ginta and Hakkaku's face.

" Hmph, how nice," Hakkaku grumbled.


	10. What do YOU want?

There was a shared silence between the two, but Koga could here the slightly labored breathing of Kohana as she led him away from her grove. He continued to follow her as she led him though trees and brush.

_Where the hell is she taking me?_ he thought impatiently. She stopped and parted the branches of a nearby bush to allow him through. He trudged past her into another grove much like her home except for one thing. This place had the feeling of earth magic.

Trees surrounded the clearing blocking off all view from the outside and the only entrance was the bush he had just entered through. Moss carpeted the ground and herbs and flowers grew on the ground, on the trees, everywhere there was earth. Nestled in the corner was a small source of water, a pond only two feet wide. Kohana glided past him, settling on a rock next to the water while Koga leaned against the nearby wall.

"So, what do you want?" he said, glaring a little at her. Her expression was emotionless, portraying no emotion. She remained quiet for several minutes.

"The question is," she said, "what do you want?" Her expression never changed.

"What are you talking about?" Koga said in annoyance, "What do I have to do with Amaya?" Kohana narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Don't fool around with me…" she said in a low voice, "You've been near her cave. The soil on your pelt is consistent to the soil on those cliffs." She smiled mischievously. "You like her…don't you?" she said in a playful voice. Koga felt his face turn slightly red.

"Do not!" he yelled, "So what if I've been around the general area! I-" He tried to find a good excuse, "-I heard Naraku was around there!" Kohana raised her eyebrows slightly before standing.

"Whatever you say," she said, brushing dirt off her clothes, "We should get back before something happens…" She parted the to allow him through, grinning as he left.

_He so likes her_, she thought with a smile.

* * *

"Ginta, I'm not sure we should do this…"

"She started it by tricking us that once! We should get back at her!"

"What if she wakes up?"

"She won't-" Amaya's eyes snapped open, only to see Ginta and Hakkaku's faces above her. She saw Ginta holding a brush, black ink about to drip down onto her face. Both of them gulped. "Uh oh…" Ginta managed to say before Amaya started yelling at them.

"What the hell do you think your doing with that ink?" She screamed, hitting both of them on the heads, they fell to the ground, hands up defensively. Amaya started to jump out of bed, looking down at the two of them.

"You stay right where you are Amaya," came a female voice, "I swear that your one of the worst people I've ever taken care of…" Amaya looked up suddenly.

"Kohana!" she yelled. As she tried to get up, Kohana glided over and pushed her back down. She smirked at her friend.

"Sit," she said, "stay…good Amaya…" Amaya playfully punched her friends' shoulder. In response, Kohana bent over to look at Amaya. "You get yourself in a lot of trouble, don't you?" she said, "You'll have to stay here for two days at the least before you go home…" Amaya sighed.

"Fine," she said. She spotted Koga standing beside the cowering Ginta and Hakkaku. She was confused, as he seemed to look away bashfully. "Why are you guys here?" she asked. Ginta glared p at her.

"Helping your sorry butt…" he snorted. Koga glared down at him and he quickly added, "We always help one of our sisters…" Amaya smiled warmly.

"Well…" she said. Koga pulled Hakkaku and Ginta up by their elbows and spoke up.

"We have to leave." He grabbed one of the packs on the floor; "We have to get back to our tribe soon…" Amaya almost called after him as he turned and left. When Ginta and Hakkaku followed after him, the Glade became silent and still. Amaya looked down at her hands, biting her lower lip and feeling a drop of blood wash over her tongue. Kohana placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"I have an idea…" she said, "But you'll have to wait till you leave here…" Amaya looked up at her.

* * *

Koga leaned against the wall of the cave, dozing slightly as other wolf demons talked around him. But no matter how he tried, Amaya kept popping into his head. Her and Kohana, her falling in the storm, and her with Satoshi that one morning; all of them with someone she knew. He kept shifting his head from side to side, unable to sleep at all. One of his brothers standing nearby noticed.

"Something wrong, Koga?" he asked. Koga opened one of his eyes and closed it again. He forgot that Ginta and Hakkaku were out hunting with some of the others.

"Nah…" he replied, "Just not tired…" It had been four days since he had seen Amaya; two were spent traveling and the other two were spent hunting for his own tribe. He had decided to take a day off to rest.

_Why the hell can't I sleep!_ He thought, _It's as if I hate barely knowing Amaya, and it's driving me mad…_He grabbed some meat nearby that was left over from before, tearing at it with his teeth. As soon as he finished, he heard some sort of commotion from the entrance, where several of his brothers were gathered around. He shrugged it off until he heard a female voice yell:

"I told you! I'm here to see Koga!" He stood up suddenly, partly jogging to the entrance and shoving aside several of the wolf demons already there. Amaya had her arms crossed over her chest and was glaring at one of the men nearby. All of her wolves were there with her as well. Nyoko hid behind Amaya's legs, Nami was trying to play with one of the wolves nearby, and Satoshi stood next to Amaya, growling at the other wolves.

The remaining demons in front of Koga moved out of the way, allowing Koga to walk forward. Amaya's glare softened and Satoshi stopped growling as he approached. He stopped in front of her, some of his own wolves following behind him. One of the men nearby looked between them.

"Who's she Koga?" he asked. Several of the others nodded and spoke up in agreement. Koga turned his head towards them.

"Our sister Amaya," he said, "from the eastern tribe." Several started muttering among themselves, some not trying to keep at all quiet.

"Eastern? I thought that tribe was found slaughtered?"

"That's what I heard…I thought they were all killed though."

"Yeah. How can she be from the eastern tribe?" Amaya looked at the crowd, who immediately quieted. Her feet shuffled slightly as she looked up at Koga. Satoshi nudged her hand.

"Umm…" she started, "Hi…" Koga scowled.

"How did you find us?" he asked, "What did you do? Follow us?" Amaya snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah," she said sarcastically, "I followed you for four days when I couldn't even walk…" Some of the wolf demons nearby glared at her since she was mocking Koga slightly. "Of course not!" she continued, "Kohana sent something to follow you and mark the trail…I followed two days ago." She looked around nervously at Koga's tribe, seeing their glaring faces.

"Umm…" she said, "Do you mind if we talk somewhere else?" Koga started to say that she could talk right there, but he noticed how nervous she seemed around them. He nodded and led her back through the waterfall, half the tribe grumbling in protest.

* * *

I LIVE! Amaya Lives once again! Happy, Mako-Chan!

Anyways...sorry about the long wait for an update you guys/girls (if their is someone besides EnduranceInTribulation paying attention to this story) I was having Major writers block on this and had to write my ideas for Carnations Voice (Naruto Fanfic) and Arsela (Original story by me) so I didn't forget them... I hope this begins to move the story at a slightly faster pace since I only have 6 months left (in the story line, that is)to write the rest. It may go a little faster than my other story, but I won't rush the story either. I'll explain some things about Amaya in the next chapters' Author's Note! See you then!

I'll try to write more soon! If you want me to continue this story, please Review and tell me! (Though I know You do EnduranceInTribulation...)

_-Kyra Odayashi_

**Reviews:** (Well...I only got one...)

_EnduranceInTribulation_- Wow...that's your longest review yet. You beat your record (Good for you!).And your opinion does count! It's the only one I've got on this so it's the best! And don't worry about the rant, I do that to...alot...except I yell into a pillow as well as type it...(sweatdrop). And yeah, I even cry at some of the sad scenes in my own story. I had a really hard time typing the massacre because I was crying to much (Another Sweatdrop). In fact, I think that this story is the saddest, because of what you'll find out and what will happen in future chapters.


	11. Sisters of the Past

Koga led Amaya to the cliff beyond the cave entrance, far enough away so that none of his brothers could listen in. Amaya sat on the edge, her feet dangling in the air as she smiled up at him. He didn't know why, but for some reason her smile made him relax for the first time in those four long days. He sat cross-legged next to her, both of them silent as the wind whipped by.

"Koga?" Amaya said, breaking the awkward silence, "I never thanked you for helping me…both times…" The wind swept her hair playfully around her face, masking her eyes from Koga's view. Koga remained silent. He was still confused as to why she wanted to talk to him in private.

"So…" she continued, pulling her hair back behind her ear, "well…thanks…" The wind died down for a few seconds, leaving Amaya's slightly red face in full view. Koga regarded her features; her gray eyes, her delicate face, her pale skin, and how her ears came to a second point. His mind wandered, taking in every wisp of her hair, every-

"Koga?" He snapped back to attention as Amaya waved her hand in his face. "Is your tiny brain back in your tiny head yet!" Her voice was sarcastic, yet playful at the same time as she smiled at him. Koga felt his face begin to grow warm and he pulled back suddenly. He fell onto his back as Amaya laughed.

"You okay?" She asked, laughing as he pushed himself back up to sit, "You seem to be off somewhere else…" Koga felt his face grow hotter still.

"Y-yeah…" he said, turning away from her slightly. Amaya's laughter died as she leaned towards him to see his face, but he wouldn't let her and turned his face away.

"I say something wrong?" she asked, "I didn't mean to make fun of you in front of your tribe like that…I'm just not use to being around other wolf demons yet…" She finally managed to catch a glimpse of his face when he turned to face her.

"No…it's nothing you did," he said. Amaya's face in turn started to turn a bright red, but the wind picked up again and blew her hair over her face.

"Ack!" Amaya exclaimed, "Stupid hair…it's always getting in the way…" She pulled it back as her face returned to normal and tied it with string from her back. Light bounced off of a blue crystal; Koga stared at it.

"What's that?" he asked. Amaya looked down at it before removing it from her neck and holding it in her hand. . Koga hesitated before taking it from her and holding it up to the light. The white ribbon was stained and worn from age, but its crystal pendant was smooth and unharmed. Koga saw the single fang in the middle of the pendant after squinting into the crystal.

"I made it a long time ago, along with two others that I gave my sisters…" she said, reaching into a pouch, " These are all I have left of my tribe." She pulled out another necklace, which she held up to the disappearing light. Koga stared at a mountain, snow falling around it and it's peak capped with it. The ribbon on the necklace was yellow with age, but he could see that it was once the same pure white that Amaya's had once been.

"What happened to them?" he asked, but he knew that it was a mistake the moment it left his lips. Amaya's eyes saddened as she wrapped it back up and pushed it back into its pouch.

"Both of them died as far as I could tell…" she said, "I suspect they were killed with the rest of the tribe-" _–cause no sister would hide from the other for all these years…_ She finished in her mind. Koga felt foolish for asking the obvious.

" I'm sorry I brought it up…" he said, holding out her necklace.

"It's all right," she said, turning and reaching for it, "I-" As soon as Amaya had touched the pendant, her back erupted in pain. She gasped in pain, falling forward and nearly falling off the cliff. Koga grabbed her arm and pulled her back, surprised at how her skin was fiery hot under his. As he pulled her back, her body froze stiffand then wentlimp. Her breath was rigid and can in small gasps and her skin was burning hot.

_Shit…_ Koga thought, _what the hell is happening! _He slid his arm under her and gently picked her up. Her body was limp in his arms as he ran back to the cave. _Why the hell does this keep happening!_

_

* * *

_

Not the best chapter..but I'm working on it. I'm still not use to working on this story again since I had first posted it in what? March? I'm so use to the Carnation's Voice story that I have to get use to this again...

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry that I destroyed what could have been a perfectly good romacne scene, but I have to keep you guys sorta on your toes. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You know who you two are! I'll try moving this along more soon! maybe have the love scene in the next chapter or two if I get to it!

_-Kyra Odayashi_

**Reviews:**

_EnduranceInTribulation- _Thanks taking the time to read this one! It was the first Fanfic I ever wrote. You won't believe how much it has changed from the original version that I thought up two years ago. The plot was terrible in the first one...you would have hated it (It was as bad as the cliche ones you see everywhere!) But I'm happy with how this one is now. Anyway, I'm going to draw some pictures of Kyra and Amaya soon, so I'll send a link to your e-mail or somethin'. Thanks again for the review and taking the time reading this one!

_wolfs pack-_ Thank you soooooooo much for Reviewing! You don't know how much it means to know that there are people who actually read this story. And I won't worry about the lack of reviews...it just tells me that people don't want to take the time typing up an comment/questions/concerns/advice.

**Notes:**

_Mako-chan_ _(You know who you are...)-_ Hi Mako-chan! I've continued the story as you've ordered...so don't kill me yet. I'll get more soon, 'kay? Oh yeah...you better not get in trouble before the convention or else!


	12. Fight

Koga burst through the entrance, almost tripping over the slick rocks under the waterfall. Several of his brothers stopped what they were doing and stared at Amaya, who was pale compared to her usual tan skin tone. Barking out orders, Koga took her to the back of the cave, setting her on the bed of hay he had left only a few minutes ago. She jerked away as he reached toward her forehead; she was grasping at her left shoulder as she turned away from him. He reached toward her large shoulder pads, trying to see what was causing the pain.

"Damn!" He pulled back as Satoshi tried to bite his hand, moving to stand between them. He lowered his head, baring his teeth as he growled at Koga. Koga reached out again and Satoshi bite his arm. Ignoring the black wolf, he grabbed Amaya's shoulder and pulled the fur away.

Taku

The word was etched into her shoulder, only a few days fresh. Satoshi jerked Koga's arm away, pulling painfully with his teeth. Koga let go, dropping the fur back over the reddened skin. Satoshi didn't let go of his arm, tossing his head to tear at Koga's flesh. Koga tried to pull his arm away, but Satoshi didn't let him.

"Let go, dammit!" He didn't raise his hand to hit Satoshi; he never hit any wolf. Satoshi stopped to glare at him before letting go. Koga ran his hand over the bite; it wasn't torn too much, it would take just a day or two to heal. He looked back up at Satoshi, who was sitting next to Amaya. Nyoko and Nami both curled up next to her, licking her hands or face affectionately.

"Hey Koga!" He turned towards his brothers Ginta and Hakkaku, both of them standing near the front of the cave. They dropped the boars over their shoulders onto the cold floor, stretching out their sore muscles. Several of the other demons gathered around them, each talking in hurried mutters till they both ran towards Koga.

"What the he-" Hakkaku stopped short of both Koga and Amaya. He looked at the bitten and somewhat bloody arm that Nami had come over and started to lick.

"What's wrong with her?" Ginta squatted down nearby, trying to move closer. Satoshi growled at him. Koga shrugged his shoulders and didn't say anything about the scar. They both continued to ask questions; it prodded at Koga's already frazzled nerves. He snapped at them mid-sentence.

"I don't damn know!" They both closed their mouths. No one really spoke to much that evening despite the large number of people in the tribe. All of them knew something was bugging Koga whenever he was quiet and that night it was deathly silent. He stretched out and leaned against the wall; a low growling could be heard from the other side of Amaya's resting form. He ignored Satoshi and closed his eyes, wondering what happened back there.

_What was she going to say? _He didn't know how long it took, but he finally managed to fall asleep, leaving Ginta and Hakkaku to manage the rest of the tribe. He didn't know how many times he woke up; there were just tidbits of conversation that he didn't think about. On one such tidbit, he remembered Ginta and Hakkaku sitting somewhere in front of him, talking.

"Koga's been acting strange," They were both sitting several feet away by a fire. Talking in hushed tones so he couldn't here; he could hear everything.

"Yeah, ever since the last time we met up with Kagome. You think it has something to do with her?" Ginta stood up.

"Most likely," Koga shifted then, turning slightly but turning away from where Amaya was. He felt that they were far off.

* * *

"Leave me the hell alone!" Koga yawned and stretched, still drowsy. "If you don't move I'm going to-!" Koga opened his eyes to the empty bed in front of him. He jumped up to his feet and watched the fight in front of the cave.

"You're an idiot to be walking around!" Hakkaku and Ginta stood by the entrance, blocking the way for Amaya, who was acting like nothing had happened the night before. She was irritable though; her head tilted back and her shoulders square. Nami stood by her feet, wagging her tail and Nyoko hid behind Amaya's long legs. Koga looked for Satoshi; he was sleeping in a corner. A growl came from the back of her throat and Koga guessed that if they didn't move soon, she would lose her temper.

"Then I'm an idiot, but move out of my way!" All eyes were on her as she shouted at them. They both stayed where they were but now seemed somewhat hesitant. She growled louder and Nami continued to wag her tail.

"After what happened yesterday you-" She finally snapped. Grabbing their upper arms, she pushed them back causing them to stumble and trip over the threshold of the cave. They fell back into the water, cursing at her. Koga laughed and many turned their heads; no one else had made a sound.

"As pissed off as you are," he started, "do you mind not picking fight with everyone?" Amaya turned to glare at him. Satoshi opened his eyes to watch.

"You want me to kick your ass, too?" Koga rose to the challenge slightly more enthusiastically than even he expected. He pushed himself to his feet and came to stand directly in front of her. He didn't have to look down too much; she was only little bit shorter than him. She glared at him but seemed slightly taken aback.

"I doubt you could beat me," He looked down at her clear blue eyes. He heard his brother's climbing out of the water, grumbling irritably. He ignored the mutters running through the crowd around them and instead concentrated on Amaya. He found himself once again taking in the details of her face.

"Let's settle this," she growled. She spun on her heel and marched out to the cliff. He followed with every one of his brothers proceeding after him. She turned to face him, pulling the dagger from her waist. Its' shape twisted into a long halberd, a large circular blade weighting down one end. She couched down, watching him with her blue eyes.

"Heh," Koga ran at her, dodging out of the way of her halberd as it swung at him. She was moving pretty fast even with such a heavy weapon but not fast enough to catch him. She kicked out at him as he came around behind her, grazing his left calf as he jumped back. She leapt at him, taking a full swing at him, putting all her strength into hitting him. Koga ducked under the blade, feeling the wind rush past.

_She's not thinking straight, _he thought. He grabbed her arm, twisting it until the halberd was in a position that she couldn't hit him. She pulled her hand back to hit him, but he caught her fist and pulled it towards him. He had pulled her very close; close enough that he could see the sweat on her forehead and hear her heavy breathing.

"Dammit," she struggled to free her hands. Some of the tribe cheered as she fought against his grip. It took several attempts before she stopped. "You win," she said, looking at him. She seemed to have more control over herself as he let go of her arms.

"I told you," Koga said; he was having trouble thinking straight. She moved to take a step back, but he put his hand on the back of her neck without realizing it. She stared wide-eyed and stopped as he leaned towards her. He suddenly found himself pressing his lips against hers, pulling her towards him. He released all the worry and anger from the last few days, wrapping his arm around her waist. She didn't move at first, but she dropped her halberd and pushed away from him suddenly, running away from him. Koga watched as his brother's muttered and whispered, hurriedly.

"Koga?" He turned his head towards Hakkaku and Ginta. They didn't say anything else. He looked back at the direction Amaya had run; she had run east. He wished she had just hit him when he lost control and didn't think. It was better than just running off without thinking at least. He cursed, hitting a boulder nearby. Koga had made her seem like a fool in front of everyone; and what more, he had made a fool of himself after. He had lost control of himself.

"I'm going," he said, "Ginta? Hakkaku? You're in charge till I get back." They nodded and he took off, running the same direction she had. He ran as fast as he could but was careless, having to backtrack several times to find her scent again. It took him two days to catch up with her.

* * *

_I'm sorry about the EXTREMELY long wait for this. Major writers block. ANyway, I think this may have been alittle rushed, but I needed to move the story on so the next chapter should be pretty interesting. I hope you will stick with me even if it takes me awhile! Review please! Bye!_

_-Kyra Odayashi_

Reviews:

- **Makochan06:** you finally get on Fanfiction...good for you! Here's the next chapter.

- **wolfs pack**: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter! I sort of had fun showing how Amaya does have a little bit of an attitude and can be impatient. Thanks for the favorite!

- **Hyphy Chik:** Here's the next update! I hope you liked it!

- **EnduranceInTribulation**: Yes. Irony Rocks. I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much, and I hope you enjoyed this one. As you can see, Amaya has some mood swings/problems after this types of incidents. I had a picture done of me cosplaying as Kyra at the Convention here. I'll post it on my profile once I'm done with this. By the way, haven't heard from you in awhile, what's happening over there? Did you see the Chapter dedication for you in Firefly Wings?


	13. It Hurts

Koga sent up a spray of water as he ran across the stream. A couple yards away it trickled into the sea from the cliffside, mixing with the salty water below. He stopped on the other side, his eyes searching the ground for what he was looking for. He found the footprint leading away from the water, embedded deep in the soft earth. He followed them at a jog; she had slowed down now.

He swore when they ended in a jumble of fresh prints before disappearing completely at the side of the cliff. Squatting to get a better look at them, he noticed two imprints in the dirt; like someone had grabbed the ledge and then slid off. He leaned over the edge squinting to see better through the dark; there was a well-sized ledge a ways down and several handhelds down the side of the cliff wall.

He swung his legs over the edge, finding the first handhold several feet down. Grabbing the side of the cliff, he dropped over the edge to grab the hold. It was small and smooth, wore with age and use. _It's a wonder how she got down this without falling,_ he mused, moving down step by step till he reached the ledge. The tide beat against the rocks yards below him; he spotted another ledge to his left. It was close enough that he could jump down and not cause a loud noise; there were two more ledges past that, each closer together than the last. It only took him a minute to land on the fourth ledge; there was nowhere else to go.

_Now where?_ He took the few steps to the edge of the ledge to glance over the edge. Down below was the entrance of a cave, the tide pulling in and out of the inside. There was a flicker of light dancing on the surface, stronger as the tide pushed in, and weaker as the tide pulled out. He ran his hand over the smaller and rougher handholds on that side of the ledge; he knew it was too late to turn back now. Swinging onto the wall, he moved down till his foot hit a three-inch ledge that wound around to the front of the cave. Inching across, he stumbled into the cave.

The cave was similar to his tribes', with only minor differences. The main floor of the cave was covered in water from the tide while a long wide ledge ran around the sides to provide protection from the crashing waves. It was empty save for the one burning fire near the back; Amaya wasn't in sight.

"Damn, another dead end." He began sliding around onto the ledge again and stopped. _Was that…splashing? _He thought. Slowly sticking his head into the cave again he saw Amaya pull herself out of the water, her hair matted against her back. She sat down with her back facing the entrance, pulling her shivering frame close to the hot flame. Koga slid back around inside the cave, taking only a few steps before she spoke.

"I'm not an idiot," she said, not bothering to turn her head, "And you aren't exactly quiet when you walk." He stopped and stood there, waiting for her to look back at him; she didn't.

"Amaya-"

"You don't have to explain." She continued, still not turning her head, "It's was my fault anyway; I shouldn't have picked a fight." Koga moved around the side of the cave until he stood directly across from her; she looked down at her feet.

"What the hell is going on Amaya?" he demanded, "One minute it seems you want to be around the tribe, and the next you push them away."

"I don't to get attached," she mumbled, "It's too hard letting go." Koga moved around the side of the fire, bending over to look her in the eyes; if she even looked up at his, that is.

"Why?"

"I told you," she replied, "It's too hard-"

"Why is it too hard?" Koga demanded with a hint of frustration echoing in his voice; Amaya almost looked like she flinched. She didn't say anything though; she just sat there looking down at the stone floor. Koga pulling her face up roughly to look him in the eyes; she was crying.

"B-because," she stumbled with her words, as if nervous with the physical contact, "I don't want to come back and find them dead!" Koga let go of her face and sat down, always keeping a close eye on her movements.

"Tell me what happened to your tribe." She ran through the basic story of what happened. He stopped her several times to ask a question or confirm a fact; she answered every time, sometimes glancing up at him.

"Taku," she flinched when he said the name, "That's his name, isn't it?" She ran her hand over her shoulder.

"You saw it?" He nodded.

"And what about when you collapse?" She nervously looked out the entrance.

"That's a little more complicated," she continued, "A few years ago he decided to play a 'game' with me. During a fight, he pinned me down and made me swallow something. That's the same time I got this scar. It was only a few days later that I started feeling the pains. They started out pretty small, but they began to grow worse every time we fought."

"That was what you a Satoshi were talking about?"

"Yeah," she answered, "We've come up with an estimate of how much longer it will take before…"

"Before what?"

"We don't know what it will do." Koga sighed and took a long look at Amaya. She sat cross-legged with her body still facing the now dieing fire. Her clothes and hair were still wet and matted. She shivered and ran her hands over her exposed arms.

"Why were you in the water?" She gave a small smile that sent a jolt through him.

"The water felt really nice tonight." He laughed and moved to sit next to her, draping an arm over her shoulder. She stiffened suddenly at the contact but relaxed.

"I don't get you sometimes," he said, "one second your friendly and the next you push everything away."

"You should understand by now," she said icily; he raised an eyebrow.

"Then why do you get close to people?" he asked, "Why not just stay away?" She stared down at her hands for what seemed like a long time. He watched her attentively, watching her bite her lip and play with a loose strand of fur.

"I'm a selfish person," she replied, "Just like others I crave company, someone to be with. I want to be with my own kind instead of hiding away from them like I should. That's why…" She glanced at his hand, which rested on her shoulder. "It's surprisingly nice," she continued, "being near you…that's why I pushed away. I really did want to stay longer, but I was scared of the sensation as well. I didn't know what it was and didn't want to know. I still don't know if I want to know." She pushed his arm off her shoulder. Koga felt something run through him; it felt like his blood was boiling.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want it to be something hurtful…" She propped her elbows on her knees and prodded the fire with a stick, sending up bright sparks that quickly faded. Koga felt his blood boil even more beneath his skin, sending a chill up his spine. It was the same sensation from after the fight; he couldn't think as clearly.

"Your not the only one," he said; she stared up at him when he leaned closer, she expression surprised. He slid his arm around her shoulder and leaned down to her eye level. "You know how much grief you've put me through?" he asked. He pushed his lips against hers, putting his other hand on the side of her neck. She tried to pull back, but he pulled her closer, until he could feel the pounding of her heartbeat in her chest. She pulled her lips away.

"You could get killed," she whispered, sliding her arms behind his back.

"I'll be fine," he said. She sighed and kissed him lightly before he pulled her into a deeper kiss.

* * *

**_FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_**

Ahem...sorry 'bout that, I got alittle carried away. I know It's been a LOOOOOOOOONG time since I updated. School sucks huh? Plus lessons and music and now babysitting and stuff. I need a vacation. Anyways, if your still with me, sorry it took so long and that this chapter sucks. I couldn't think of anything else and I wanted to move the story along because I don't really read/watch Inuyasha anymore and i have to finish before I forget everything about Koga.

And no, they do not have s-e-x...I just didn't want to bother to write out a makeout scene. Plus I don't know how.

-Kyra Odayashi

**To my only reviewer right now:**

_Wolfs Pack -_ THANKS FOR STICKING AROUND! Because no one reviewed and it took such a long time, this chapters dedicated to you!


	14. Staring

**Chapter Dedicated to Amikotsu**

_Darkness penetrated only by the smallest of flames. The black was pressing down on her enough that she couldn't breath normally. Her breaths came in raspy bursts that echoed in her ear, causing the small fire to flicker, threatening to die._

_"Amaya…" She felt arms wrap around her, pulling her back into an embrace, "It's okay Amaya," came the voice, "I'm here…" Her tear-stained eyes looked down at the arms that squeezed the air out of her. They tightened with each breath, slowly pushing the life out of her. Their red markings swirled in front of her._

_"…let go…" she said, "…it hurts…" She struggled against the arms, her shoulders hitting the person behind her; the flame flickered dangerously, "…let go of me…" she said louder as she was suffocating. The flame started to flicker and die._

"_Let go of me!"_

"Amaya!" Hands grabbed at her shoulders, holding her securely against someone. She thrashed out, pulling at the hands in her panic. "Amaya, stop it. It's me!" She opened her eyes and saw the dancing flames from the fire. Koga was sitting up behind her, his hands gripping her shoulders roughly. She shuddered and closed her eyes again.

"Nightmare?" She nodded her head numbly and he loosened the grip on her shoulders. She kept her eyes closed and leaned back against him, her face turned so that the bridge of her nose rested under his chin. "It's just a dream Amaya," he said, running his hands along her arms, "Just forget about it." She nodded again but the image wouldn't leave her mind easily; the image of the arms pushing the life out of her.

"Are you okay?" Koga asked, lowering his head to rest between her shoulder and her neck affectionately. He was nice and warm…

"Yeah…" she murmured, "Are we leaving today to go back?" He nodded and his hair brush against her face. His lips were pressed against her throat now, rough and yet gentle at the same time. The sensation helped her shove the dream further back into her mind. His arms were wrapped around her waist holding her together; keeping her from falling apart.

"You smell so nice," he commented, his mouth brushing her collarbone. She couldn't help but smile at that one.

"I probably just smell like salt…" He laughed and pulled his head away from her shoulder. She leaned her head back to look in his eyes. The shadows from the fire played across them, making them hard to read. "Koga?" He looked up at the fire that lit up most of the cave, "What are you thinking?"

"I'm worried about what you said before," he said, "about the villages…" She read the concern in his eyes.

"You're worried about the tribe," she replied, "We can start back now if you want." She looked out towards the dark morning; it wouldn't be long until the sun rose. He sighed and put his face back into her shoulder.

"Aren't you tired?" he asked, "You have been running from me these past few days." She smiled and reached up to place her hand on his head.

"I can't sleep much more," she said, running her hand through his black hair; it had probably come undone while she had been sleeping. "And I'm worried about my pack that I left with those two idiots…" He chuckled. She smiled and stood up, her long hair hanging down her back, now dry and stiff with salt. Koga followed suit and pulled his hair back into its usual ponytail.

"Lets get going then." He grabbed her dagger from were it lay on the ground, half expecting her to grumbled that she could have picked it up herself. He stood back up and looked at her.

She didn't say anything. She was staring off towards the very back of the cave, her eyes strangely blank and yet preoccupied. He watched the way her forehead creased in just the slightest way. "Amaya?" In that instance her whole face seemed to change. The smile was back on her face, "You ready?"

"Yeah, lets go." She took the dagger that he had held out for her, tucking it and the sheath into the waist of her skirt. "The sooner we get back, the sooner I can pick on those two…" Koga grinned; he would probably join her this time. Letting her lead the way to the edge of the cave, he took the time to looking at her without her noticing. He looked at the way her shoulders had a sharp curve and how the muscle stretched across the blades, her muscles were more defined than other women he had met, to how the armor on her back hung rather loosely.

"I know you're staring…" Amaya cast a glance over her shoulder and looked at him as she stepped onto the edge of the stone ledge. The tide had gone out, leaving the sands of the beach clear; Koga was glad they didn't have to use the small ledge on the side of the cave again.

"Something wrong with that?" He asked, pulling up a side of his mouth to smile. The one cheek he could see turned a light shade of pink. He had found something he could use to his advantage...and have a little fun with.

"It is a bit rude," she growled; he continued to smile, "Not to mention you're staring at me."

"Would you prefer I stare at something, or someone, else?" He knew that he was pushing her buttons a little, but it could be entertaining. Plus, he thought she looked really good from behind.

"Jerk…" She jumped down to the main floor of the cave with him following behind her before jogging towards the front and jumping up onto the ledges above and out of sight. He smiled and stepped out into the dark morning to follow.

* * *

I can't believe that I haven't updated in almost two months! I really need to pay this one more attention. If anyone is there, I love you for sticking with this...no, seriously.

And don't you just love it when Koga is being a flirt and a jerk at the same time. I sort of wonder what he would have looked at if she hadn't distracted him ;) He just seems like that type of guy to me sometimes...

-Kyra Odayashi

Reviews:

Amikotsu - Do any of us Fanfiction readers/writers have a life? Oh wait...I do...never mind. lol. Thanks for the compliment, I'm so glad that my writing has improved so much from before. What was the other story you read?


	15. My business

**Dedicated to the wonderful _wolfs pack_, without whom I may have forgotten to continue this story. Thanks for the reviews and sorry for the horribly long wait! I am not worthy of your praise!**

* * *

"How far is it from here, Koga?" Amaya yawned and leaned back, quite content with the warm blaze in front of her as she took a large bite out of her meat. She leaned against one of the many trees in the small clearing.

"We'll get there tomorrow before night." Said wolf demon sat beside her, already finished with his share of the food. "It might have helped if you hadn't gone so far when you were running."

"I didn't think you had the nerve to follow…" she muttered; he scowled and glared at her as she smiled. She threw what she didn't want back into the fire, sending sparks flying into the air before turning back to him. "After all," she continued, "You are kind of a pushover."

"Pushover?" He raised an eyebrow and stared at her skeptically.

"Yes, a spineless…" She stopped when she saw him smile. "What are you sm-" He grabbed her shoulders, quickly turning to crouch in front of her. He pressed her back against the rough wood as he leaned forward and pressed his face into her neck. She felt his lips brush over her throat and down to her collarbone; his hands ran down the length of her arms, the contact sending warning signals to her brain. She was pressed against the wood, cornered as he hovered over her and she searched for a way out. A chill ran down her spine when his teeth grazed her skin.

"Who's the pushover?" he asked, face buried against her skin. She gritted her teeth and growled, shoving his shoulder. He lost balance and fell back, but he managed to grab her wrist and pull her as well, sending both of them sprawling on the ground. She tried to sit up; he wouldn't allow that. He pinned her arms and leaned over her to smirk.

"Jerk!" she spat, glaring at him, "Get off me!" He laughed but didn't relinquish his hold.

"No," he stated, "If you really think that you can beat me, then I won't risk getting beaten up by you." She glared and looked away from him, sulking, which only made him laugh more. "I'll let you go when you're calm."

"I am calm!" she growled.

"Bullshit," he stated; a smirk stretched across his face again. He was up to something again. "I don't even think that you're capable of being calm." She looked back at him.

"Then are you ever going to let me get up?" she muttered, a slight growl creeping into her voice.

"That is a good question…" Her breath caught in her throat as his face buried itself in her neck again. Euphoria coursed down her back as he grazed her shoulders, hands still holding her arms secure. He pressed his lips to her throat; she shuddered and turned her head to the side. She could see the flames just a few feet away, dancing wildly like the pounding in her chest. He was surprisingly gentle.

"Jerk…" she growled, glaring at him from the corner of her eye. He pulled away from her and smirked, releasing her arms. She pushed him off and sat up, giving him a rather sour look as he continued to smirk. "I'll get back at you for that." She turned her back to him and glared at the fire.

"I'll look forward to it." He muttered in her ear, rubbing her arms again, before receiving an elbow in his stomach.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()(

"Ginta, why don't you look after them?!" Nami jumped up onto Hakkaku, knocking him over while trying to lick his face. He sputtered, pushing her off his chest and scrambling away on his knees; he didn't get far before she jumped on him again.

"Because she seems to like you more," Ginta laughed until he saw the wolf run in his direction. "Ahh!" He curled up and covered his face with his arms as the energetic wolf pounced on him. This time Hakkaku laughed as Nami licked Ginta's arms and neck. Ginta growled and tackled his brother wolf as soon as he pushed Nami out of the way. They both started to wrestle as Nami strode back to sit with Nyoko to watch; she seemed very pleased with herself. Satoshi glanced at the two demons before trotting to the front of the cave.

"Seems like Nami is fitting in just fine." Both looked up to the two faces visible at the front of the cave; they shouted at the same time.

"Koga!" Detangling themselves from each other's limps, they stumbled towards the front of the cave. Satoshi was sitting right behind Amaya, staring up at her; she gave a small smile in return. Satoshi nudged her hand and went back to lay along the back wall. Both of the demons passed him and came to a stop in front of their leader.

"That wolf won't leave us alone!" Ginta exclaimed, "It keeps on attacking us!" Amaya raised an eyebrow and looked over the two. Koga smirked and did the same.

"You don't look injured," he stated. It was Amaya's turn to smirk. "Just a bit drooled on…" Amaya grabbed their wrists.

"Let me help you clean up." She pulled them suddenly, sending them stumbling until she released them and they landed in the river for the second time. They yelled at her as everyone else laughed. Nami happily pounced on Amaya but didn't lick her face quite as much. "Thanks for taking my place while I was gone." She told the wolf, scratching her behind the ears. "I couldn't have done that without your help." Nami licked her face once more and bounced away; Amaya pushed herself to her feet.

"Has anything happened while I was gone?" She didn't bother to really hear the answer to Koga's question. She walked past all of the other wolf demons and sat near the back of the cave next to Nyoko. She laid her hand on the wolf's head, closed her eyes, and leaned against the wall.

"She's still arrogant. That's where Koga sits." A growl rose in the back of her throat but she acted like she didn't hear them. She could feel eyes staring at her even as Koga came to sit next to her.

"Tired?" he asked; she shook her head. "We're heading out to hunt soon. Are you coming with?" She shook her head again and didn't open her mouth. He took her chin and turned her face towards him; she opened her eyes to glare at him but thought better of it and just looked him in the eye. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied, "Just thinking…" She was quite aware of almost everyone staring at the two of them.

"About?" She scowled; it was annoying that everyone couldn't find something else to stare at.

"None of your business." She pulled her face out of his hand and leaned back against the wall again. She closed her eyes and tried to control her irritability. It disappeared when she felt his lips pressed against her throat. It was suddenly very quiet around them.

"You are my business…" He kissed her throat again before standing up. He pointedly stared at Hakkaku and Ginta. "You two look after her." She scowled again.

"I can take care of myself," she growled.

"Never said you couldn't," he replied as he left with what would be his hunting party. Her irritability returned as soon as he left and the mutters began.

* * *

Yeah, I know...I haven't updated in more than 8 months. SORRY!! I hope this chapter wasn't too rushed; I was trying to get something out for people.

And hey...can you really blame me for Koga being so hot? I had to put a scene like that in, no matter if he may have been OCC (depending on your personal opinion). Well...at least I think he would act that way. Love is surprising and can definently change someone...

The reason I couldn't wirte is because I've actually been really caught up in school, so much that I think I'm pushing my limits too much. 6 hours of sleep, or lack there of, is going to get me killed one of these days. Luckly, I can't drive yet so I won't fall asleep behind the wheel. lol. OKAY...Review time...

**wolfs pack** - _YOU ROCK! I AM NOT WORTHY!!_ Sorry for the wait! I hope you liked this chapter and I can't wait to hear from you again!

**Makochan06** - Bleh...I need more sleep...and a Fuji apple. Also: KOGA IS SEXY!!

**Amikotsu **- Thanks for sticking around...I feel so loved. lol


	16. Changing the Topic

Chapter once again dedicated to Wolfs Pack whose support has made sue this creation survives and doesn't remain locked in my brain forever more.

Amaya counted the steady drip of water coming from somewhere in the front of the cave. _One, two, three…_ she could still hear the others muttering over her thoughts count. _Four, Five, six…_ She was getting a headache just trying to block them all out. _Seven, eight…screw this…_ She opened her eyes slightly and stared up at the ceiling as she took in all of the bits and pieces of conversation.

"He can't really like-" "What about sister Kag-" "No way! He does-" "You really think that he could-"

A growl rose up in the back of her throat and she shut her eyes again; she tried to concentrate on that steady drip. It drove her insane after twenty. She rolled to her side to face away from the rest of the wolves. Nyoko raised her head a fraction before scooting closer. Amaya buried her head in the wolf's fur and counted Nyoko's pulse instead; the deep steady beat was a lot less annoying. Nyoko hadn't left her side ever since she had returned, staying by her all day in the back of the cave while she had tried to sleep. It had been surprise that she was in a bad mood now; all the talking had kept her awake.

"You feel okay sister Amaya?" Ginta was sitting nearby, most likely with Nami still draped over his lap. Nami had taken a liking to bugging those two when Amaya didn't feel like it. Amaya didn't feel like answering out loud, so she just climbed to her feet instead. Staring at Ginta and Hakkaku for a moment, she weaved through the cavern. Though she really only weaved through them for the first few yards; they stepped out of her way after that. She ducked out of the cave as the two men tried to climb to their feet.

"Hold on!" She slipped around the corner and jumped one of the ledges nearby, stretching out her stiff muscles and dropping into the grass. It wasn't a comfortable, but it would be quiet outside and she might be able to doze off for a bit. She concentrated on relaxing every part of her body, starting at her feet and working her way up. Her mind was the last thing that she let go. The blissfully quiet evening air was nice. It wasn't too far into the year yet to be cold. She was tempted to pull off her shoulder pad, but couldn't bring herself to move. Instead, she closed her eyes and let her mind wander.

She must have fallen asleep. It was a bit cooler when she woke up. It had to be after sunset by then for it to be that cool. A familiar scent nearby rolled across her tongue: salt, dirt and, at the moment, dried blood. She ignored the person who'd dropped into the grass next to her, turning onto her side in the opposite direction. She had almost managed to block out the steady breathing coming from over her shoulder when a finger trailed down her arm.

"You tired or just trying to ignore me again?" Koga's finger trailed down past her elbow and onto her hip. He let it fall to the middle of her back before tracing her spine. "Why are you out here? Were Ginta and Hakkaku annoying you?" Her shoulders tensed as his hand rubbed the back of her neck. She kept her mouth shut until he leaned over and pressed his lips to the corner of her jaw.

"The muttering was driving me insane." She growled as he rubbed his lips against the back of her neck. "Apparently they're all a little bit surprised at our sudden friendliness. They mentioned something about Kagome as well." He paused as she waited. "What's the story there?"

"It was a while ago." He muttered, "Just some unreturned affections. Nothing to think about now…" She didn't _want_ to think about it, even if it did nag at her somewhat; she had enough of a headache trying to concentrate at the moment. He nipped at the her ear, pulling gently at the soft skin until she rolled back onto her back. He looked down at her before burying his face in her throat. She sighed and rolled away two feet.

"You have a way of changing the topic without actually saying anything useful." She stopped on her stomach, using her arms for a pillow with her head facing the away from him. He laughed and pulled her over and against his chest. He pushed her hair aside and went back to her neck. She gave up any form of conversation. He wouldn't be paying much attention to what she was saying at the moment. She turned over and pushed him onto his back, lying on his chest with her head over his heart.

"They're just a little…hesitant." He said; his voice vibrated through his chest. "They probably don't know what to think of you now. You left a rather confusing impression on them before." She punched him lightly in the stomach when he started to laugh. She yawned and he laughed again. "I guess you really were tired." He pulled her into his arms and jumped down from the ledge with her clinging to him in surprise. She pushed out of his arms as soon as he had landed on his feet.

"I can walk on my own feet," she grumbled. He kept a steadying hand on her lower back as they entered the relatively warmer cave. Some of the wolves looked up from their meals around one of the few fires and watched Koga push her to the back of the cave. She sat down in the bed of hay, intent on stretching out on her back, but he sat against the wall and pulled her back. She sat in front of him, between his knees, and leaned back.

Despite the armor, it was comfortable leaning against him. He trailed his finger over her arm again when she rested her head against his shoulder. It raised bumps on her skin. She swatted at his hand after she closed her eyes. The low laugh rumbled in his chest as he continued. No one was muttering now, but she guessed a numbered of bewildered looks were most likely being exchanged instead. She did hear someone cough rather violently when Koga bit at her neck lightly, but it otherwise it was blissfully quiet.

* * *

At least this one didn't take 8 months. I did bring up something I though was important in this chapter, though only briefly. I never did read all of the Inuyasha manga, but i needed some way to explain his more friend like attitude toward Kagome now and eariler and i don't want to make that a major problem in hte story. That would be just lame to have to deal with that.

Anyway, action will be coming soon, I promise. And I just had to get a little more fluff in before that comes because i don't know how much lovin there will be later on in the midst of all the problems. Hope to see you again soon!

-Kyra Odayashi

Wolfs Pack - Once again you are my only reviewer, but the best one yet! I hope you like this piece of short fluff (which I just couldn't get out of my head and was blocking everything else) and to see you again next chapter. You Rock! See ya next time!


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